Introduction
According to historical accounts, Voltaire wrote Candide around the year 1758. At that point, Europe lived in the fallout of the 1755 earthquake and tsunami that devastated Portugal. In art and philosophy of the time, the concept of optimism prevailed, implying that God remains benevolent to humanity. While working on Candide, Voltaire opposed this perspective and its view of this world as the best one possible. In his own words, the best world would be considerably better than the one in which they lived, and this point of view was largely inspired by the Lisbon disaster (Mor 177). From a social perspective, Voltaire’s works of this period follow the general alarmist tendency that somewhat exaggerated the impact of the disaster on Portugal and Europe. In other words, the author diverted from the optimist stance, showing that God and this world can be cruel, as well.
Candide’s Plot Structure
As the examination of Voltaire’s work of literature reveals, the plot of Candide fits into the paradigm introduced by Aristotle. The “beginning” of Candide depicts the titular character’s life before the disaster in Lisbon and sets the plot in motion. This includes his life at the castle, as well as his voyage to Portugal Candide evades execution amid an earthquake. Next, the middle part of the story covers the characters’ journey to and across South America where the majority of their adventures occur. This section prepares the reader for the culmination that occurs at the end, as the final chapters take the reader to the Ottoman Empire and yet another reunion of Candide and Cunégonde. At this point, the protagonist seeks meaning for his suffering and comes to terms with his fate. Therefore, Voltaire follows a clearly defined three-part structure that is highlighted by the composition of the novella.
Candide’s Characters
The titular character of Candide is initially presented as a pure, innocent man who is easily persuaded while being motivated by his romantic feelings. As the plot develops, Candide continues to accept and follow the beliefs of others, instead of considering his interests. His mentor, Dr. Pangloss, is a character that is deliberately portrayed as unrealistic. Being the primary voice of the optimist worldview in the novella, Pangloss continues to promote his beliefs to others, despite any terrors that occur to them. Even amid a devastating earthquake, he relies on philosophy rather than actual help. Martin is another important character of the story, whose worldview aims to oppose blind optimism. Throughout the plot, he remains pessimistic, convinced that God has abandoned Earth and left it to suffer. On the other hand, Cacambo appears to be the voice of reason and the most realistic character of the novella. He is meant to balance between the two opposite perspectives, primarily focused on materialistic issues. Overall, the main characters undergo a few transformations, per the author’s design, since they serve as the medium for Voltaire’s critique of optimism.
Candide’s Major Themes
In Candide, Voltaire artfully explores a variety of themes in an interesting manner. Love is one of the main elements of the plot since Candide’s feelings for Cunégonde become the driving force of the story. It is love that motivates the protagonist to travel across the globe and overcome all the difficulties. However, the overarching theme of the novella appears to be the clash between philosophy and reality. The focus remains on optimism and its lack of correlation with the actual reality of life. Candide is easily persuaded by his mentor that this world is the best one, whereas Martin is certain that it is the opposite. Voltaire objects to such absolute thinking, showing that both good and evil can happen in a world that is neither the best nor the worst.
Candide’s Symbolism
Considering the context of the novella, most of its characters become symbols rather than people. It is evident in the case of Pangloss who serves to embody the entirety of the optimist movement. He remains unrealistically blind to the horrors around him, not refusing his convictions. Voltaire aimed to criticize both the literary community and society that refuses to accept that certain terrors happen without a benevolent intention by God. In this regard, Candide becomes the population of Europe that simply sways toward the loudest, most convenient opinion without subjecting it to a degree of critical thinking. This way, the symbolism of the novella is conveyed through its characters.
Work Cited
Mor, Liron. “Humor and the Law of Rights: Voltaire’s Cosmopolitan Optimism and Emile Habiby’s Dissensual Pessoptimism”. Comparative Literature, vol. 71, no. 2, 2019, pp. 171-193.